


tenderness unknown

by glacecherie



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Getting Together, Love Confessions, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-18 15:25:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13684452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glacecherie/pseuds/glacecherie
Summary: Auston almost feels he should do some grand gesture to say it. Twenty thousand red roses that spell it out across his backyard, a balloon that says "oh shit I fell in love with you lmao". That's still romantic, right? Because saying it aloud is scary, he can admit that. It feels too raw and vulnerable. He can't possibly say it, surely? He doesn't have to.But he wants to.aka Auston is a dumbass in love having a crisis, but Mitch is just as much of a dumbass for not noticing said crisis.





	tenderness unknown

**Author's Note:**

> I hate these men and I'm a romantic sap. Sue me. I'm sorry in advance.

Auston realises he's in love at such a mundane moment it's almost laughable.

They're both laid in bed at Mitch's after practice, because they're lazy and like, who'd watch a movie on the couch when you can watch one in bed? Fools, that's who.

Mitch has one of Auston's hoodies on, but he's bare-chested otherwise. Something about him like that - leaning into Auston's shoulder all comfortable, warm and wrapped up in the sheets - makes his head feel too full in a way he couldn't articulate to save his fucking life. He can't quite stop himself from staring.

There's freckles dotted all over him and he looks so soft and there's a little scar on Mitch's stomach, faint and white with age. He traces it without thinking, fingers pressed carefully against his skin like there's a chance it could still hurt.

Mitch flinches and almost kicks the laptop off the bed. Smooth.

"Cold hands!!" He yelps, trying to muster up a scowl.

"Sorry, man. I was just looking at that - " He says, and uses the excuse of gesturing to do it again, holding him still by the shoulder so he can't escape.

"Jesus christ, why do I allow you into my bed!" Mitch gripes, elbowing him as he wriggles under the covers defensively.

"Or your pants." Auston adds, and Mitch goes slightly pink.

"Or my pants." He mutters, but he shifts so his head is against Auston's chest.

Head over my heart, he thinks to himself, hand automatically wrapping around him to stroke his hair. He makes a pleased little noise, and Auston wants to kiss the freckles on his shoulder blades and kiss him so deep he looks dazed and - more besides. Oh, fuck. Feelings are like, _way_ harder than anyone said.

In the midst of his crisis Mitch switches Netflix over to his favourite episode of Catfish even though he's about to crash, and usually that's worthy of chirping him half to death, because who even has a favourite trash reality series episode but. This time he lets it go. He's just - so _overcome_ with fondness all of a sudden that it feels like he's tingling.

He settles for rolling them so that he's spooning Mitch, pressing a kiss to the nape of his neck.

Mitch is just so _warm_ , and he doesn't mean only physically. He's so warm a person that it practically shines out of him. He's so easy to love that it's happened without Auston realising, a sort of effortless, tender thing.

He almost feels he should do some grand gesture to say it. Twenty thousand red roses that spell it out across his backyard, a balloon that says " _oh shit I fell in love with you lmao_ ". That's still romantic, right? Because saying it aloud is scary, he can admit that. It feels too raw and vulnerable. He can't possibly _say_ it, surely? He doesn't have to.

Then he looks back to Mitch, with his eyelids drooping, smelling of Auston's shower gel, sharing warmth and on the verge of falling asleep on him and it's just -

So fucking _easy_.

He closes the laptop and sets is aside, yanking the sheets up and rearranging the pillow so that Mitch doesn't get a crick in his neck.

Mitch makes a sleepy pleased sound and tucks himself under Auston's chin.

Auston takes a deep breath.

"I love you." He says, and the words are out now. He's done it. No takebacks.

Mitch lays the softest of kisses at the base of his throat before his eyes close.

"Love you too." He murmurs, and then he's dead to the world. Auston follows him in closing his eyes, and lets the gentleness of the moment overwhelm him.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy valentines day, please valen-date me. Valin-date. Validate me.


End file.
